


A Conversation

by ladydragon76



Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One), Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Canon What Canon?, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-25
Updated: 2020-06-25
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:40:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24903223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladydragon76/pseuds/ladydragon76
Summary: Summary:Drift's back on theLost Light, and NOT happy.  This requires a conversation.
Comments: 21
Kudos: 78





	A Conversation

**Author's Note:**

> **'Verse:** IDW  
>  **Series:** None  
>  **Rating:** PG  
>  **Characters:** Megatron, Drift  
>  **Warnings:** Canon, What Canon?  
>  **Notes:** For Jbirrd! Tier reward and drawing reward combo fic for June.

Drift had been warned by no fewer than twenty mechs that Megatron was onboard the _Lost Light_ now. It was not at all what he'd expected when he decided that he should check on everyone -and Rodimus- and it had very effectively ended his self-exile. He and Rodimus had had a rather long talk about it, then Drift had dragged in Ultra Magnus.

This was _Drift's_ ship, and while he really, really tried to contain the fury that it and the mission had been co-opted as Megatron's 'punishment', he failed when informed that oh no-no, Megatron wasn't a prisoner on the ship. He was _captain_!

And no amount of Rodimus pointing out 'co-captain, _co_ -captain', had made a damn bit of difference.

Ultra Magnus said that since Optimus Prime said- whatever he'd said, that they had to, and Rodimus had agreed, so blah, blah, blah. Drift grabbed a copy of the bylaws and Autobot Code and pointed to the exact paragraphs that gave _him_ as owner of the _Lost Light_ the final say in who crewed _his_ ship. He then called up Cybertron to inform Optimus Prime they would be bringing his rival right back to rot in a cell, but he wasn't there. Starscream, on the other hand, had been delighted with the news and promised a cell would be ready and waiting.

It was then that Rodimus had lightly touched Drift's arm and said, "Maybe before we just give him gift-wrapped to _Starscream_ , you should talk to him?"

Thus, Drift found himself standing in front of Megatron's graffiti-covered door, scowling at the mess mechs had made of _his damn ship_ and trying to find his center so he could deal with this calmly.

He was not succeeding, so just huffed and pinged for entry.

It only took a moment for Megatron to open the door. He looked unsurprised to see Drift and stepped back, gesturing for him to enter, which Drift did. The room was on the small side for a mech Megatron's size, and Drift wasn't sure whether he was happy or annoyed by that.

"I'm so angry at you," Drift began and turned to look up at Megatron. It was the truth for so many reasons, some of which weren't even Megatron's fault- Drift could admit that much to himself.

"Many Decepticons are," Megatron said mildly, which only made that tentatively leashed fury lash, uncontrolled for an instant, from Drift's field. Megatron blinked, then his shoulders slumped. "It wasn't my choice to come on this mission."

Drift cycled his vents and did the best he could to keep his voice even and field under control. "You are not the captain of my ship. You hold _no_ authority here, and that message is being relayed to every crew member aboard right now. Understood?"

"Completely."

"Good." Drift crossed his arms, realized how defensive the gesture was, and dropped them to his sides.

"Was there anything else? Am I restricted to this room until we return to Cybertron?" Megatron asked, and though his voice sounded no different than if they'd been discussing the weather, his optics were the sort of dim Drift couldn't remember having seen before.

"Rodimus suggested I talk to you before we turn the ship around." Drift glanced around the room, but the only place to sit was on Megatron's berth, and that was- No, he wasn't going to do that. "He might just be trying to give me longer to cool off so I don't put a sword through Optimus' face when we get there, but Rodimus doesn't ask much of me, so I'll give him this."

Megatron's head snapped up. "He doesn't ask much?!" An arm flung out. "You bought him a ship!"

"He didn't ask for that," Drift replied and leaned back against the wall, one foot propped up against it. He crossed his arms again and shook his head at himself, but decided to just stay still instead of fidgeting.

"He exiled you!"

"At my insistence." Drift shook his head again and waved a hand to brush it off. "I don't expect anyone to understand my motives regarding Rodimus, but he doesn't ask much of me, certainly never something I don't want to do. He did ask this, so here I am. So, Megatron, who only 'changed'," he lifted his hands in air quotes, "after being ordered to by Optimus Prime, why should I not hand you back to Starscream so he can play out his revenge fantasies- which, by the way, we both know he deserves."

Megatron seemed to deflate. "You were once one of my most loyal."

"I'm aware."

There was a small flicker of heat in Megatron's optics, but it vanished just as quickly. Drift knew all of Megatron's tells, and he narrowed his own optics, watching closely and knowing Megatron knew he was watching closely.

"You're right. It wasn't until after I read Prime's idiotic speech. It wasn't until well after I'd been placed on this ship, after I'd begun to work on Rodimus that I realized just how far off the path I'd fallen," Megatron said and sat on the edge of his berth. "It was when I saw that no matter what I did, what I said, that silly little fool was determined to give me a chance." A humorless laugh huffed out, and Megatron shook his head. "He sulked in his quarters for six months first, but then he popped up one shift, bright as a sun, and just..." He waved a hand helplessly, and Drift grinned.

"Yeah. That's Rodimus." Drift focused in on his own amused affection and then really found his center, his spark rhythm smoothing out and plating relaxing. "He'll see the best in anyone if they give him even half a chance. You know he was there when the Wreckers took me in? Perceptor and I became friends once he was out of the CR, but it was Rodimus to reach out to me first. He knew exactly who I was, and when I called him an idiot, he laughed and said, yeah, but I'd already seen the 'Cons for how wrong they'd gone and left. That meant I had a good spark."

Drift pushed off the wall and plopped down next to Megatron, hands between his knees as he looked up at the former warlord, the mech who had given him a new name and purpose so long ago, then twisted that purpose beyond recognition. "He told me that it didn't matter what I'd done before because he'd blown up a whole city, and the best we could do was just better once we knew better." Drift knew it didn't stop the guilt, not in himself, and certainly not in Rodimus, but 'know better and do better' was a life philosophy Drift -even newly escaped from Turmoil and with no spiritual direction- could latch onto. "Rodimus believes you are now trying to do better. You tellin' me he's right? No more 'workin' on him'?"

The slip in accent caught Megatron's attention, and he met Drift's gaze squarely. "I can't possibly atone for all I did wrong. But I can do my best with the time I have left."

Drift stared back, making no effort to hide that he was trying to figure out if Megatron really meant it or not. "Alright. But you're not captain of this ship. You're not an officer at all. You are a crew member who takes orders just like anyone else, and you keep doing your best to do better."

Megatron's mouth twisted to the side in a wry smile. "And you'll be there watching to be sure I'm not slipping."

It was a statement, but Drift absolutely heard the plea behind it. "I know all your tricks." He stood and pulled out a flimsy, scribbling a time and location on it. "Here. We'll start there and move forward."

"What will I be doing?"

"Learning to meditate. And!" Drift pointed at Megatron, used to others interrupting his 'hippy dippy' suggestions and not about to allow it from Megatron. "It's not for preaching, it's not connected to any spirituality. I learned to meditate long before I found a path that resonated. It helps."

Megatron nodded slowly, but no matter how much he expected to see it, Drift found no resistance. "I'm not... what I became. That mech isn't me anymore. I want to do better, Drift. I will do my best not to let you down again."

Drift smiled as his spark genuinely buoyed. "And I'll help you." He reached out and tapped the flimsy. "Tomorrow. See ya then."

Drift left Megatron's quarters, already sending a text only to Magnus to have the door cleaned properly when he rounded a corner and ran smack into Rodimus.

"So?"

Drift snickered and shoved his friend toward the lift. "Glitch. But yes, fine. Onward. We have Knights to find."

Rodimus squealed and tackled Drift with a hug, and Drift returned it. He was relieved, reassured, and although he would be watchful, he was hopeful too.

**Author's Note:**

> [CLICK HERE](https://ladydragon76.dreamwidth.org/334490.html) to learn more about me!
> 
> This story is part of the [LLF Comment Project](https://longlivefeedback.tumblr.com/llfcommentproject), which was created to improve communication between readers and authors. This author invites and appreciates feedback, including:  
>  **Feedback**
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